Geneva: Increasing pollution from wildfires and heat waves is posing a significant threat to global efforts aimed at enhancing air quality and safeguarding human and ecosystem health, as warned by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Monday. In its annual Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, the United Nations agency underscored the intricate connections between climate change and air pollution, urging the implementation of coordinated policies to tackle both issues.

According to Philippines News Agency, the report revealed that the occurrence of extreme fire-smoke events has tripled worldwide since the 1990s. It referred to a study estimating that these events contributed to nearly 100,000 additional deaths annually between 2010 and 2018. The WMO cautioned that conventional risk models might significantly underestimate wildfire-attributable mortality, potentially by up to 93 percent, due to their failure to adequately account for the heightened toxicity of fire-derived fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5.

The bulletin noted that achieving the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines will become increasingly challenging, as extreme fire weather is anticipated to rise in the future. Additionally, the report highlighted the impact of heat waves in exacerbating ground-level ozone pollution. Higher temperatures, stagnant air, and intense sunlight have been found to promote ozone formation, intensifying ozone-related health risks which could contribute to tens of thousands of additional premature deaths.

The WMO also emphasized the need for improved monitoring of pollutants, including black carbon and atmospheric microplastics, to better address the evolving threats to air quality and public health.